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Join us at Adkins Arboretum for the kick-off of our 2026 Ecological Landscaping Speaker Series on May 9 at the Native Plant Café. The speaker lineup includes Botanist and Adkins Board Member Bill McAvoy, Ecologist Karin T. Burghardt, and Landscape and Garden Designer Kara Crissy.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust Outreach Grant Program has awarded Adkins Arboretum funding to build on the success of the Naturally Better Landscaping Speaker Series, begun in 2023 in partnership with ShoreRivers. Since that first year of funding, the partners have grown to include the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Phillips Wharf Environmental Center, and the Delmarva Chapter of Wild Ones.
The 2026 series will feature expert-led talks and garden visits, each highlighting locally relevant success stories. By pairing practical strategies with real-world examples, the program will address interconnected environmental and human health benefits, such as reducing stormwater runoff, mitigating heat islands, enhancing habitat, and providing access to green space.
Through engaging talks, immersive site visits, and partnerships, participants will see real, replicable examples of climate resilience in action. This direct exposure, combined with expert guidance, will increase the likelihood that participants adopt similar practices, thereby expanding local ecological benefits and community resilience over time.
The intended message is: “Even small changes in your property management can create measurable environmental benefits. By implementing native plants, biodiversity-supportive landscaping, and regenerative land use practices, you can improve water quality, provide habitat, reduce climate impacts, and inspire your community.”
Visit adkinsarboretum.org to learn more about the speaker series and garden tour dates. All programs in the series are free of charge, but registration is required.
The 2026 Speaker Series and Garden Tours are made possible through funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Queen Anne’s County.
